First Blacktail

Took my first Blacktail today for the Western Washington modern rifle late buck hunt (11-15 to 11-19). Yesterday was beautiful 58 degrees and partly cloudy (saw two does). And then nothin the rest of the day.
Rain storm came in last night and temperatures dropped to the low 40's. This morning had fog, mist, rain, and wind (occasionally up to 20 mph) and 42 degrees.
First thing this morning (7:00 AM), spooked 2 does out of bed while 2 more, stared at me from 15 yards for over 30 seconds, too bad, no doe tags.

Moving on, followed a heavily worn trail into a clearcut about 100 x 500 yards with a 20% grade and a few splotches of scattered timber here and there and several draws throughout,
went to within 20 yards of the tree line and kept walking, ...200 yards in...while passing a bunch of fallen trees (30-50' long) criss crossed over a draw, spooked up 4 more bedded does.
WOW ! 8 deer in less than 20 minutes ! Awesome !...On up the trail, I have probably come about 420 yards when I spooked up a fair 3x2 buck about 140 lbs and a huge doe among some sparse timbers.
They didn't see me, but I couldn't get a shot through the trees, so I started crawling in the grass, mud & rain, I hear a snort and wheeze and then nothing, so I crawl about 15 yards, I don't see or hear movement.
So I stand up, ...Hello! there he is staring straight at me head on @ 50-60 yards away. I try not to panic and squeeze. "Bang!"/ "Flop!" So when I get to him, he had fallen on cut tree stump and broke a point.
The 150grn core lokt entered the base of the neck just next to the left shoulder @ 2800 fps or so, and exited the just behind the ribs and in front of his right hip.
All said and done, drag him 300+ yards back to the road, not a bad day !!
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Centurian22

November 18, 2012, 01:31 AM

Very nice!

Patocazador

November 18, 2012, 09:36 AM

Blacktails are tough hunting. I know you're happy.

tahoe2

November 18, 2012, 08:36 PM

Tough hunting ?? You bet they are ! They are like ghosts or the fabled "Unicorn" during hunting season, of course you can see big bucks all summer until September, than they ghost until January. LOL That is almost a smile on my face, I'm exhausted from the drag, and the rain was just starting to really come down. so we got him in the Trooper quick !

BP Hunter

November 19, 2012, 12:31 PM

Congratulations on your hunt!

wyohome

November 20, 2012, 06:57 AM

Good job! I miss blacktail hunting, chased them for years in Wash and Oregon.

T.R.

November 20, 2012, 08:07 AM

Good shootin' there. Years ago I was with USAF in northern California. Plenty of forkies ended up within our freezer!

TR

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c146/rushmoreman/Napamorning.jpg

Andrew Leigh

November 20, 2012, 11:39 AM

Nice buck, well done.

sleepyone

November 20, 2012, 12:35 PM

That is a beautiful deer! Good work!

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